This invention relates to novel citrus-flavored tobacco articles, and processes for producing same. More particularly, it relates to tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco containing a stable citrus flavor which contributes to improved flavor and aroma of the smoking or chewing article, in the package as well as during the consumption of the product.
It is well known that a citrus nuance is a very desirable aroma and taste in a tobacco product. Many attempts have been made in the past to amplify this citrus nuance to a level that can be easily perceived as a citrus flavor in the product. However, these attempts have failed because prior citrus flavorants are either unstable after being applied to the tobacco blend, yield negative taste characteristics when applied at a level high enough for citrus flavor to be perceived by the smoker or do not retain perceivable citrus notes throughout storage and the full smoking time of the smoking article.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,449 discloses the use of a mixture of the specific saturated aldehydes n-hexanal, n-octanal, n-nonanal and n-heptanal, dissolved in ethanol and applied to smoking articles, i.e. filter tip material and tobacco, to give a "citrusy effect" to smoking articles.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,988,487 discloses the use of certain aldehydes in the form 2-alkylidene-3-alkenal reacted with alcohol to give a di-lower alkyl acetal to impart a fresh green flavor to tobacco. These diacetals, either alone or in combination with one or more adjuvants such as n-decanal, n-octanal, n-nonanal, n-decanal or citral, have been used to enhance the organoleptic properties of foodstuffs including tobacco.
According to Bedoukian in Perfumery and Flavoring Synthetics, Third Edit., pp. 106-118, citral per se is of limited value in fragrance formulations and as a flavoring, even though it has a powerful lemon aroma. It is recognized that citral is a rather active and unstable terpenoid which may cause problems as a fragrance or flavorant in various products. Citral dimethyl acetal and citral diethyl acetal have been used as fragrance materials in products where citral is unstable, but the acetals have been found to lack the true lemon odor and strngth of citral.
This invention seeks to improve on prior citrus-flavored tobacco products by providing tobacco articles having a stable ture and strong citrus flavor which is sustained through both shelf and package storage and the smoking or chewing of the article.